Safeguarding means for ledger sheets and the like



Jan. 13, 1925.

M. K. PAINE f SAFEGUARDING MEANS FOR LEDGER SHEETS ANT) THE lLIKE Filed June 9, 1922 Patented Jan. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MERRILL KENNETH PAINE, OF WEBSTER CITY, IOWA.

Application filed June 9,

Y 10 all Iwhom t may concern-l Be it known that I, MERRILL KENNETH Pancia, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Vebster City, Hamilton County, Iowa, have invented a new and useful Safeguarding Means for Ledger Sheets and the like, of which the following is a. specification.

Une object of this invention is to provide an improved and `convenient identification slip adapted to be removably and replaceably mounted on a ledger sheet such as 'is employed for posting checking accounts in a bank whereby the signature of the customer is constantly before the bookkeeper in posting checks against each account.

A further object of this invent-ion is -to provide a means for Warning a bookkeeper as to checks which have been issued against a given account and on which payment has been ordered stopped by the customer, which warning means is of a conspicuous nature and constantly before the bank employee in posting the account.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for removably and replaceably mounting an identification or Warning slip on and relative to a ledger sheet so as not to interfere With placing the sheet in a posting or similar machine.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out ,in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in Which- Figure 1 is a face vieiv of a portion of a ledger sheet bearing a signature slip and a stop-payment Warning slip in accordance With my invention. Figure 2 is a section on the line 2 9, of Figure 1, and Figure 3 a section on the line 2%#3 of Figure 1, at right angles to the section of Figure 2.

In the construction of the device or article of manufacture as shown vthe numeral 10 designates generally a sheet such asr is oommonly employed by banks and similarinstitutions for posting customers checking accounts, space being provided for entering deposits and also for charging checks drawn against the account. Under the system now generally employed these sheets are of the loose-leaf variety and are removable for insertion in a t-ypevvriting or posting machine for the purpose of making the various entries from time to time. The common p qac- SAFEGUARDING MEANS FOR LEDGER SHEETS AND THE LIKE.

1922. Serial No. 567,113.

tice is to `have an identification or signature card for each customeron which `are ivritten facsimiles of all signatures authorized to draw checks against the account, and these cards are all kept together in a card-index file or similar device. lVhen the bookkeeper deems it necessary or desirable to compare the signature on a check with the signature card on file, he must go to the proper tiling device, search out the card in question and make his comparison, which requires considerable time and trouble and is apt to be neglected at times when the clerk is in a hurry. My invention contemplates the removable and replaceable mounting of a signature card on the sheet relating to the account in question, which can'be referred to at a glance at any time by the clerk he makes his entries, thus eliminating the danger ofla fraudulent check being passed because of failure to compare the signature thereon with the identification means'in'the possession of thebank,

At times a customer Will stop vpayment on a check which he had issued, by notice to the bank, and in such event it is desirable that all employees handling the checks be advised of such action so that theccheck may not be paid inadvertently, and the institution thus suffer financial loss. For this purpose 'I have pro-vided a conspicuous Warning device in the nature of a slip to be removably and replaceably mounted on the pertinent ledger sheet in a manner similar to the signature slip above referred to, in cases Where checks have'been issued on an account'and payment subsequently stopped thereon.

The signature or Aidentification slip employed is designated by the numeral 11 and isof flexible material such as paper or vvery light board, of sufficientsiZe to carry one `or more signatures, such as 12, applying to the account carried by a particular lec ger sheet. 10. The slip 11 is held in place against the face of the sheet 10 by means of strips or tongues 13, 14 produced by cutting slits in the sheet 10, said strips or tongues being a trifle longer than the width of the slip and adapted to extend transversely across the same in spaced relation, preferably near the ends of the slip. The slip 11 may be removed or replaced relative to the sheet 10 by endvvise sliding movement beneath the strips or tongues 13, 14, which are relatively narrowv and cover but Cil little of the surface of the slip, so that the signature 12 or other data thereon is readily observable. The strips or tonguesA 13, 14 preferably are arranged vertically on the sheet and extend across the shorter dimene sion of the slip, so that reading matter ex-V tending longitudinally of the slip is in normal horizontal position relative to the ledger sheet The slits in the sheet 10 forming each tongue or strip 13, 14 preferably flare or diverge at their upper ends, on compound curves if desired, to form capitals or enlarged portions 15 at the upper ends of the tongues or` strips and covering increased portions of the upper margin of the strip 11. Aircuate slits also are formed in the ledger sheet 10 between the upper ends of the tongues or strips 13, 14 to produce segmental tabs 16 adapted to cover and overlie the central portion of the upper margin of a slip 11. The enlarged portions 15 of the strips or tongues and the segmental tabs 16 overlie and cover by far the major por tion of the upper margin of the slip 11,- so that the slip does not interfere with insertion of the sheet to whichy it is attached into a typewriting or posting` machine by engagement of its upper margin with parts of the machine, and likewise the danger is obviated of tearing or crumpling the slip during insertion, as said capitals and tab cover nearly all of t-he upper margin of the slip, prevent its engagement with parts of the machine, and hold the slip flat to the sheet. The tongues or strips 13, 14 also may .be increased in width at their lower ends if desired.

A warning slip or device 17 also is provided, bearing indicia or data, indicated at 18, as to checks drawn on the account of which payment has been stopped. The slip 17 preferably is of red or other noticeable color so that it is conspicuous and bound to be noticed by those posting the accountl on the sheet 10. The slip 17 may be of a size identical with the signature slip 11 and y be attached to the sheet 10 in a similar manner, by tongues or strips 13, 14 having enlarged capitals 15, and a segmental, overlying tab 16. VVhen'ever Vpayment has been stopped on a check drawn on vthe account carriedon the sheet 10, a warningvslip 17V is provided with' the proper data 18 refer ring to such check and is inserted as shown and described, so that there is no danger that the clerk posting the sheet will overlook such check and the fact that it is not to be honored.

I have found it convenient to locate one set of holding means such as strips or tongues 13, 14 and tab 16 in the lower left corner of the sheet 10, and another set in the lower right corner, to hold the signature slip 11 and'warning slip .17 respectively, but it is obvious that they may be located in any other desired and suitable place on the sheet. Vhen the sheet is reversed .for use of its opposite side, the slips 1i and 17 (if any) may be removed and replaced in corresponding locations on such opposite sides, the same holding means being employed.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of a ledger sheet formed with spaced slits producing tongues att-ached at both yends to said sheet, and a data slip adapted to be arranged beneath and retained by said tongues, said sheet also being formed with an arcuate slot produc-V ing a segmental tab between saidV tongues covering a considerable portion of one margin of said slip.

2. The combination of a ledger sheet formed with spaced slits producing tongues attached at both ends to said sheet, and a data slip adapted to be arranged beneath and retained by said tongues, the slits forming each tongue flaring or diverging at one end to produce widened extensions covering a considerable part of one margin of said slip 3. The combination of a ledger sheetformed with slits producing spaced tongues attached at both ends to said sheet, and a data slip adapted to be arranged beneath and retained by said tongues, the slits forms ing eachtongue diverging at one end to produce widened extensions, said sheet also being formed with an arcuate slot producing a segmental tab between said widened extensions, said widened extensions and segmental tab covering a major part of one long margin of said slip.

4. The combination of a ledger Vsheet and a warning device comprising a slip of conspicuous color detachablyv mounted Von and retained'relative'to said sheet, said slip bear-' ing data relative Vto checks on which payment has been stopped.V f Y Signed at Webster City, in the Vcounty of Hamilton and State of Iowa, this 8th day Y of May, 1922. Y Y l MERRILL 'KENNETI-I'PAINE. 

